Just Like Old Times
by Lonelysubmarine
Summary: Nate’s eyes drifted to his pocket as his phone rang. Chuck/Nate.


**hey people!**

It's cold here in New York, although Upper East-Siders know how to stay warm in their fur coats and their high rise apartments that are seemingly untouched by the cold. Plus, with parents out on the slopes, and far away, I'm sure we can find other ways to stay warm; things that take _two_ people.

**Sightings**

**B** pouting because **C** isn't around for her pre-Christmas dinner. Don't be sad **B** your daddy's coming in soon, isn't he? **S** hanging out with **D**, **V**, and **J**. They were all shopping at **Barney's**; I wonder how **D** got talked into it. **N** hanging around in an East Side church; I wonder what he's up to. Is he trying to be forgiven for a long forgotten deed? **C** wandering around the church as well, without his limo, I guess he walked. Is he _spying_ on his _best friend_? Show us a trinity and maybe we'll show you the inside information.

You know you love me,

Gossip Girl

The church was empty except for Nate, who was sitting in the pews. His Gucci suit was only slightly crumpled. He closed his eyes and let his body roll up ever so subtly and let his forehead rest gently against the back of the pew in front of him. He sighed lightly and moved to check his pocket for his phone; he needed to call someone, anyone would do.

Chuck picked his phone out of his pocket as it buzzed. It was easy to find, his suit didn't have many pockets; he'd made sure of it. He looked at the phone's screen, it was Blair. He sighed and dropped it back into his pocket. He forgot about their pre-Christmas dinner and he could feel that a screaming fight was in his near future. He reached up and threw the end of his trademark scarf around his chilled neck.

Chuck watched the steps of the church, he couldn't bring himself to enter and find Nathanial sitting at the pews, praying. He was a chicken in that way, but he had accepted it long ago. He sighed again but this time he watched his breath fog and leave his body. Maybe some lies are meant to be told and some lines are meant to be crossed. But Chuck van der Woodsen-Bass doesn't cross church lines and he doesn't lie to priests or to God. That's one line, although it's a foggy and a messy line, which Chuck Bass doesn't cross. No if, ands, or buts; not even for Nate.

Nate looked down at his phone once more, Dan hadn't answered. He lifted his eyes to the Jesus figure and laughed a little bit. No amount of prayer could fix this; he didn't think so, at any rate.

He pulled the piece of paper out of the other pocket of his suit. His Dartmouth letter was heavy in his hand. He didn't care at this point that they'd denied him because he hadn't wanted to go in the first place. He was slightly disappointed, however, because he thought he would have gotten in, and he probably would have if it hadn't been for his father. He laughed at the thought. It was so ironic that it almost hurt. He didn't think about it and he let it fall onto the pew before the light wind forced it to the ground of the church.

Nate had thought long and hard about everything. He'd been in the church for hours thinking about his life and how he and his friends had ruined each other. They'd destroyed the very beings of each other. He was, seemingly, the only person of all of them who felt any sort of remorse for it. He was the only one who felt like shit after that kid almost died in the pool. He was the only one who seemed to feel anything after he cheated. He realized, after his many hours in the church, that that was the reason he had been so angry at them. He'd felt sorry but Chuck and Blair didn't seem to care that they'd killed him a little inside. To the point of that they weren't even going to say anything to him, ever, except that Chuck had gotten pissed and in his anger he'd gotten stupid.

It seemed, to him at least, to be the single thing that had killed him. Chuck.

Chuck waited on the bench in front of the church. He grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket and let his eyes traced the screen. He's been sitting outside of the church for at least three hours and Nate _still_ hadn't come out yet. The screen also told him he had 9 voicemails, 20 missed calls, 32 text messages, and 14 e-mails. All of them where from Blair and he hadn't read or listened to a single one before emptying his entire inbox. He wasn't interested in what she had to say because he was starting to worry about his best friend. He didn't take him for the religious type.

Nate stood up and started walking down the way to the huge wooden doors. He had finished thinking about his life and had come to the point that he was seated in a church so he decided it was time to leave. He'd thought it all out and had realized that it hurt because he wasn't forgiving himself for sleeping with both of them. Sure, he'd cheated on Blair, but it was different. It would be like if Serena and Blair got together, he would feel cold and unwanted, which was how he'd felt when he found out about Blair and Chuck. Neither his ex-girlfriend nor his ex-lover wanted him, they wanted each other. He would never understand that, but he'd accepted it at the wedding. They were, at least, friends again. Right?

Chuck let out a sigh of relive and twitched in his Armani pinstriped suit. He stood up and crossed the street to meet Nate.

"Nathanial, I don't think I've ever known you to be so dedicated to religion." Chuck smirked and dropped his eyes to the paper in Nate's hand.

"Well, it's not as though we - I've - got too many options. Right?" Chuck looked up at Nate's face quickly but Nate only laughed it off.

"Kidding, Chuck._ Totally_ kidding. I just needed a quiet place to think and I figured a church would be somewhere I _wouldn't_ see people I know." Chuck nodded, he understood, even if it was the case that he didn't understand very well.

Nate's eyes drifted to his pocket as his phone rang. In what seemed to be the far off distance Chuck's phone rang as well. He ignored Chuck and his phone and went into his pocket for his own phone. He looked at the ID, it was Dan. He hit the call button.

"Nate?"

"Yeah. How are you?"

"I'm good. Sorry I didn't pick up before; I was shopping with the girls." Dan laughed for a moment. Nate recalled who 'the girls' where and laughed at well.

"Having fun, then?"

"Yeah, totally. I have _tons_ of fun shopping with girls. You should come over." Nate nodded but remembered that Dan couldn't see him and whispered "Yeah, I will" into his phone. Dan hung up first and then Nate did, but his face was glazed as his mind raced.

"Who was that?" Chuck's voice brought him back to reality. The real world came crashing down around him. He failed to think of a lie and let the truth seep out of his mouth, like a virus.

"It was Dan." Chuck gave a momentary glare. He hated Dan, with every fiber of his being.

"Are you guys friends, then?" Nate nodded and Chuck's eyes became darker then his suit and Nate sighed. This wasn't the time for stupid and petty things like him being friends with Dan destroy their friendship…again.

"Why does it matter, Chuck?" Chuck looked away from Nate; they hit the cement in a second flat.

"It doesn't really. Come on, we have dates to keep." Nate nodded without actually remembering. He figured if Chuck knew were they were_ supposed_ to be, then he should follow.

**hey people!**

For all those Upper East-Siders going back to college after a long awaited and long past needed Christmas break, good luck. We don't need to be in college but hey, it's a good party. No body parties like an Ivy League trust fund baby, right? Hope your year heats up, in every possible way.

**Sightings**

**S** giving her little brother **E** a hug before she goes away again; she's hoping he'll be okay in her absence. **E** having a close conversation with **C** before _he_ goes away as well. Little **E** has got no luck with the family, they're all getting gone. **J** also saying goodbye to some family, known as **D**, and his current girlfriend **V**. **V** looking very sullen about something. Is **D** doing something he shouldn't be? **N** smoking a joint on the steps of **The Metropolitan**, I didn't know he smoked in public. **D** meeting up with **N** in front of the café **V** works at, hope she wasn't working today.

You know you love me,

Gossip Girl

Nate couldn't believe he'd let Chuck kiss him again. He'd sworn after they'd stopped the first time that it would never start up again, even though he desperately craved it to just _be_ once again. He was done with Chuck and his mind games, although he feared Chuck knew about Dan. He sighed and walked to the train station. He was completely ready to go back to school.

Chuck dropped his cigarette and stomped it out as soon as he saw Nate closing in on the train station. He knew that kissing Nate had been the right thing as soon as he saw him in his suit. _His_ Armani pinstriped suit and _damn_ did Nate look good in it. Chuck walked closer to him and touched his shoulder before gripping it and pulling him to an open side of the station.

"You know Nathanial, this game of cat and mouse has gone on far to long." He smirked and Nate's eyes melted when they glanced at him.

"Yeah? I heard you transferred colleges. Truth or lie?" Nate pretended Chuck wasn't looking amazing in a suit…again. He always looked amazing in a suit.

"It's the truth." Nate smiled at that. He could see it as it would be; an apartment off campus together, one bedroom, with expensive food because Chuck can't live without it, and amazing suits. He'd make Chuck wear one everyday. He sighed and let Chuck's lips melt into his own. It would be just like old times.


End file.
